Thallium is a blue-white odorless, and tasteless metal found in crooksite, lorandite, and hutchinonite. It is a soft by product of lead and sink, which is similar in resemblance to tin. Thallium was manufactured for usage as a pesticide in America until 1975. It is now imported from numerous countries such as China, and Ecuador. Thallium is used in the pharmaceutical, and electronic world.
If inhaled thallium can be carcinogenic. Thallium is toxic, and disguises in the bloodstream as potassium. Thallium causes no specific environmental problem, but when it is exposed in the air, and comes in contact with humans it may harm our bodies. Thallium in our body can cause neurological, and gastrointestinal problems. Thallium is one of the cheaper imported elements selling at only $40 a pound. For this reason also, although harmful to our bodies the government still imports it, because it is cheaper than most other substitutes.
I do not see the great importance of thallium in my life. I feel as if the purposes that it serves in mostly our electronic world can be easily carried out by another element. Thallium should be banned, because it causes more harm than it helps our world.
Background
The EPA has identified 1,177 sites on its National Priorities List for toxic testing, and thallium has accurred in eighteen of those sites. Crookes discovered thallium in 1861. In its pure state thallium is a blue-white odorless, and tasteless metal found in crooksite, lorandite, and hutchinonite. These metals however are difficult to find, so instead t0hallium is formed from the byproducts of smelted lead and zinc. Thallium is found in small amounts of soil, and sulfide based minerals. It is a soft, and malleable metal, which can be cut with a knife. Thallium remains in the environment, because it is a metal and cannot be broken down into a simpler form.
Thallium is used in small amounts of pharmaceutical, electronics manufacturing, such as switches, and closures, and glass manufacturing. Thallium is used in infrared detectors, insecticides, and ant killer. It is combined with sulfur, or selenium, and arsenic to produce low melting glasses. These glasses are durable and insoluble to water. Thallium is also used in the manufacturing of photocells, and in the treatment of ringworm, and other skin diseases. Thallium is found in several ores, one of which is pyrites, used in the production of sulphuric acid. When mixed with bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine thallium can form salts, which appears colorless than white or yellow.
Thallium was restricted from pesticide and cosmetic products in the United States in 1975, because of its narrow margin between its therapeutic, and toxicity harm. If exposed to the skin for too long, it can cause carcinogenic problems. Thallium can be ingested or inhaled, because it is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless particulate.
Thallium is used in China, Ecuador, and most South American Countries, and in the US. Thallium manufacturing locations are also found in Albion, IN, Chalmette, LA, Saint Paul, MN, and Festus, Mo.
Bohr Diagram of Thallium
Bohr Diagram Of Thallium
Production
Thallium is obtained as a by-product of iron and non-ferrous metal sulphide ores processing. It is also extracted from copper, lead and zinc production. Thallium is extracted from lead production dust by suplhadizing it in boiling bed at 300-350°C. The sulphate mass is then leached by water to separate the lead from its ore.
A solution of iodine containing 50% kerosene of tributyl phosphate is used to get the tahhlaium out of the lead suplhate. The lead has to then be re-extracted by sulphuric acid (300 g/l) with 3% hydrogen peroxide. 99.99% of pure thallium can be obtained by remelting the lead products, and then process it under caustic soda layer. Other processes such as electrolytic refining, and crystallizing purification can also be applied for obtaining purer metal.
Health
Thallium has no biological use. It is toxic, and teratogenic. Contact with the skin is dangerous, because there is evidence that the element is also carcinogenic. Thallium is a concern in health, because its biological characteristics are similar to those of potassium as a transport subtrate in the presence of glucose, insulin or phobolmyristate acetate (PMA). Thallium flows steadily through the bloodstream and is utilized as potassium. Thallium enters the blood stream slows down our metabolism, and helps in the increase of obesity and anorexia. Through inhalation, or ingestion thallium can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, multi-organ failure, neurological injury, and death. Peripheral neuropathy and alopecia are also documented chronic exposures of thallium.
Environmental
Thallium is ten times more abundant in the air than silver, and is basically found in potassium minerals such as sylvite and pollucite. Thallium exists in two chemical states (thallous and thallic). The thallous state is the more common, and stable form. Thallous compounds are the most likely form to which you would be exposed in the environment. Thallium is present in air, water, and soil. Thallium reacts with chloride lead, [{H3CC(CH2NSiMe3)3}2(H)Tl5], toluene, H3CC{CH3N(Tl) SiMe3}3][H3CC{CH2NSiMe3}3(H)(Tl)(Li-thf)] to form metallated thallium H3CC{CH2N(Tl)-SiMe3}3]. Thallium disguises as lead in the air. Thallium is biodegradable, and degrades when in contact with water. The degradation of thallium is a speedy process, and is smelted to be disposed.
Political/Economical
Thallium was banned in the US in 1975, because there was an increase of accidental poisoning in kids. The lack of thallium would put a strain on the electronic world. An alternative for thallium is Colistin sulphate which is less toxic. China is a major exporter of thallium, and some other countries in the South America. Without a free access of thallium there would be a slight decrease in the manufacturing of glass and pesticides. Politically there weren’t many opinions stated on thallium, because at the time of its banning it was posing a major threat to the US. Thallium being banned completely won’t affect me. Other than for electrical purposes in my house, I don’t think that I’d knowingly come into contact with thallium.
Summary
At a low cost of $40 per pound, thallium is an inexpensive element. Economically it may not post harm, but health wise it does. The carcinogenic probability of thallium is much too high to continue usage of a product that’s not of profound usage. The products that thallium is used for can be manufactured from elements of lesser expense, and health effects. America has banned the production of thallium since 1975, but has continued to import it. I think it’s time for the usage of thallium to be banned completely, because we can find other safer sources to use in our electrical world.
Abstract
Thallium is a blue-white odorless, and tasteless metal found in crooksite, lorandite, and hutchinonite. It is a soft by product of lead and sink, which is similar in resemblance to tin. Thallium was manufactured for usage as a pesticide in America until 1975. It is now imported from numerous countries such as China, and Ecuador. Thallium is used in the pharmaceutical, and electronic world.If inhaled thallium can be carcinogenic. Thallium is toxic, and disguises in the bloodstream as potassium. Thallium causes no specific environmental problem, but when it is exposed in the air, and comes in contact with humans it may harm our bodies. Thallium in our body can cause neurological, and gastrointestinal problems. Thallium is one of the cheaper imported elements selling at only $40 a pound. For this reason also, although harmful to our bodies the government still imports it, because it is cheaper than most other substitutes.
I do not see the great importance of thallium in my life. I feel as if the purposes that it serves in mostly our electronic world can be easily carried out by another element. Thallium should be banned, because it causes more harm than it helps our world.
Background
The EPA has identified 1,177 sites on its National Priorities List for toxic testing, and thallium has accurred in eighteen of those sites. Crookes discovered thallium in 1861. In its pure state thallium is a blue-white odorless, and tasteless metal found in crooksite, lorandite, and hutchinonite. These metals however are difficult to find, so instead t0hallium is formed from the byproducts of smelted lead and zinc. Thallium is found in small amounts of soil, and sulfide based minerals. It is a soft, and malleable metal, which can be cut with a knife. Thallium remains in the environment, because it is a metal and cannot be broken down into a simpler form.Thallium is used in small amounts of pharmaceutical, electronics manufacturing, such as switches, and closures, and glass manufacturing. Thallium is used in infrared detectors, insecticides, and ant killer. It is combined with sulfur, or selenium, and arsenic to produce low melting glasses. These glasses are durable and insoluble to water. Thallium is also used in the manufacturing of photocells, and in the treatment of ringworm, and other skin diseases. Thallium is found in several ores, one of which is pyrites, used in the production of sulphuric acid. When mixed with bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine thallium can form salts, which appears colorless than white or yellow.
Thallium was restricted from pesticide and cosmetic products in the United States in 1975, because of its narrow margin between its therapeutic, and toxicity harm. If exposed to the skin for too long, it can cause carcinogenic problems. Thallium can be ingested or inhaled, because it is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless particulate.
Thallium is used in China, Ecuador, and most South American Countries, and in the US. Thallium manufacturing locations are also found in Albion, IN, Chalmette, LA, Saint Paul, MN, and Festus, Mo.
Production
Thallium is obtained as a by-product of iron and non-ferrous metal sulphide ores processing. It is also extracted from copper, lead and zinc production. Thallium is extracted from lead production dust by suplhadizing it in boiling bed at 300-350°C. The sulphate mass is then leached by water to separate the lead from its ore.A solution of iodine containing 50% kerosene of tributyl phosphate is used to get the tahhlaium out of the lead suplhate. The lead has to then be re-extracted by sulphuric acid (300 g/l) with 3% hydrogen peroxide. 99.99% of pure thallium can be obtained by remelting the lead products, and then process it under caustic soda layer. Other processes such as electrolytic refining, and crystallizing purification can also be applied for obtaining purer metal.
Health
Thallium has no biological use. It is toxic, and teratogenic. Contact with the skin is dangerous, because there is evidence that the element is also carcinogenic. Thallium is a concern in health, because its biological characteristics are similar to those of potassium as a transport subtrate in the presence of glucose, insulin or phobolmyristate acetate (PMA). Thallium flows steadily through the bloodstream and is utilized as potassium. Thallium enters the blood stream slows down our metabolism, and helps in the increase of obesity and anorexia. Through inhalation, or ingestion thallium can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, multi-organ failure, neurological injury, and death. Peripheral neuropathy and alopecia are also documented chronic exposures of thallium.Environmental
Thallium is ten times more abundant in the air than silver, and is basically found in potassium minerals such as sylvite and pollucite. Thallium exists in two chemical states (thallous and thallic). The thallous state is the more common, and stable form. Thallous compounds are the most likely form to which you would be exposed in the environment. Thallium is present in air, water, and soil. Thallium reacts with chloride lead, [{H3CC(CH2NSiMe3)3}2(H)Tl5], toluene, H3CC{CH3N(Tl) SiMe3}3][H3CC{CH2NSiMe3}3(H)(Tl)(Li-thf)] to form metallated thallium H3CC{CH2N(Tl)-SiMe3}3]. Thallium disguises as lead in the air. Thallium is biodegradable, and degrades when in contact with water. The degradation of thallium is a speedy process, and is smelted to be disposed.Political/Economical
Thallium was banned in the US in 1975, because there was an increase of accidental poisoning in kids. The lack of thallium would put a strain on the electronic world. An alternative for thallium is Colistin sulphate which is less toxic. China is a major exporter of thallium, and some other countries in the South America. Without a free access of thallium there would be a slight decrease in the manufacturing of glass and pesticides. Politically there weren’t many opinions stated on thallium, because at the time of its banning it was posing a major threat to the US. Thallium being banned completely won’t affect me. Other than for electrical purposes in my house, I don’t think that I’d knowingly come into contact with thallium.Summary
At a low cost of $40 per pound, thallium is an inexpensive element. Economically it may not post harm, but health wise it does. The carcinogenic probability of thallium is much too high to continue usage of a product that’s not of profound usage. The products that thallium is used for can be manufactured from elements of lesser expense, and health effects. America has banned the production of thallium since 1975, but has continued to import it. I think it’s time for the usage of thallium to be banned completely, because we can find other safer sources to use in our electrical world.PSA
Sources
http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/ElementWebSites/thallium/General%20information.htmhttp://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/81.html
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-06/962288698.Me.r.html
http://tl-thallium.info/production.html
http://www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Thallium.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=ubtMpW5BWVwC&pg=PA453&lpg=PA453&dq=banning thallium&source=web&ots=jEFLwAJN19&sig=sA0WRZraTiJ8x05v6jZtYDxfJGM&hl=en
http://www.principalmetals.com/utilities/81.htm